Fixational eye movements and their associated evoked potentials during natural vision are altered in schizophrenia

Background

Visual exploration is abnormal in schizophrenia; however, few studies have investigated the physiological responses during selecting objectives in more ecological scenarios. This study aimed to demonstrate that people with schizophrenia have difficulties observing the prominent elements of an image due to a deficit mechanism of sensory modulation (active sensing) during natural vision.

Methods

An electroencephalogram recording with eye tracking data was collected on 18 healthy individuals and 18 people affected by schizophrenia while looking at natural images. These had a prominent color element and blinking produced by changes in image luminance.

Results

We found fewer fixations when all images were scanned, late focus on prominent image areas, decreased amplitude in the eye-fixation-related potential, and decreased intertrial coherence in the SCZ group.

Conclusions

The decrease in the visual attention response evoked by the prominence of visual stimuli in patients affected by schizophrenia is generated by a reduction in endogenous attention mechanisms to initiate and maintain visual exploration. Further work is required to explain the relationship of this decrease with clinical indicators.